Ripple Announces Its Dollar-Pegged Centralized Stablecoin

Aiming for a slice of a rapidly growing market, Ripple, the company behind the XRP Ledger, has announced its own stablecoin. The token, pegged to the value of the US dollar, is expected to launch later this year.

Observers

Apr 05, 2024 - 2 min read

Today Ripple unveiled plans to launch its stablecoin, placing itself directly in competition with more established stablecoins like Tether USDT and Circle's USDC, both with multi-billion dollar market capitalizations. The stablecoin market itself is booming, exceeding $150 billion currently, and is projected to reach a staggering $2.8 trillion by 2028, according to Ripple.

Jeremy Allaire, the CEO of Circle welcomed Ripple's entrance into the market, saying it was "encouraging to see more companies taking a compliance-first approach to building on-chain dollars."

Tether's representative was less encouraging. When asked about Ripple’s move, a Tether spokesperson told CNBC: “We wish Ripple’s team would have more success with their new stablecoin than they had so far.”

Ripple is aiming for stability with this token. The company assures users that the coin will be "100% backed by U.S. dollar deposits, short-term U.S. government Treasuries, and other cash equivalents."

Another announced feature is interoperability. Ripple plans to offer its token on both the XRP Ledger and the Ethereum blockchain initially. The Ethereum implementation will use the ERC-20 token standard, ensuring compatibility with a vast ecosystem of wallets and applications.

We haven't observed any breakthrough features in the offering yet, and convincing users to switch to a new stablecoin amidst a crowded and competitive market will require compelling incentives and a robust marketing strategy. Without a clear value proposition, Ripple risks being overshadowed by incumbents, hindering the adoption of its stablecoin.

Ripple's decision to enter the stablecoin market comes amidst its ongoing legal battle with the U.S. SEC. The SEC alleges that XRP, the native token of the XRP Ledger, is an unregistered security.

While the lawsuit undoubtedly casts a shadow, Ripple focussing on the future. In a statement to CoinDesk, Ripple attributes the move to "dollars and cents." The massive growth potential of the stablecoin market is a clear motivator, and Ripple believes its solution can carve out a significant piece of the pie.

Stablecoins have become a popular choice for crypto traders due to their relative price stability. The announcement from Ripple is a significant development in the stablecoin space. With its vast network and focus on enterprise solutions, Ripple has the potential to become a major player. The token is expected to launch this year, so the coming months will be crucial as Ripple reveals more details about its stablecoin and how it plans to compete with existing giants.